DR / MOSTA
Chapter one
Motion in a circle
Preliminary
(1) Degrees measure system
1
* Each degree ( 1 ° ) ° 360 ° of a complete revolution about the vertex
* A Full Circle is 360°
* Half a circle is 180° (called a Straight Angle)
* Quarter of a circle is 90° (called a Right Angle)
We often measure degrees using a protractor
(2) Radian measure system define → radian
(One radian is the measure of a central angle θ that subtended by an
arc equal in length to the radius r of the circle)*.
*[define: June 08. Nov 07]
rad length of arc
θ = 360°
˚ S¿
radius of ¿=
2π
r
So the angle in radians in a complete circle would be
rad
θ =Circumference of the ¿˚ ¿
˚ 2 πr
radius of ¿= =2 π ¿
r
1 Radian is about 57.2958 degrees
S
Rad. Deg.
1 ?
2π 360°
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1× 360
?= 2π
=57.2958
(3) Relation between the degree measure and the radian measure
Because 2π radians corresponding to one complete revolution Degrees
and radians are related by the equations.
rad π °
θ = θ
180 °
Examples
a) 135° (Convert to radian)
π 3π
¿ 135 ° × =
180 4
−π
b) 2 (Convert to degree)
π 180
¿− × =−90 °
2 π
In circular motion It is convenient to measure angles in radians
rather than degrees
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arc
S
θ=
(4) Some Physical definitions r
Central angle radius
Suppose a particle travels from position (A) to position (B) along an
arc (∆S) in a time interval (∆t) as in the opposite figure.
(a) Angular Displacement ( ∆θ rad )
rad
∆ θ =θ f −θi (1)
Where: P 1=θ f
∆θ
P=θ i
(b) Angular velocity ( ω )
* The angular speed is the angle swept out by the radius per second
* The angular velocity is the angular speed in a given direction
∆θ r arc
ω=
∆t
( rad S−1 ) (2)
θ
r
∵ At a specific point (A), the steady speed of the particle (V) is given
∆S ∆S
by ¿ ∆ t , the radian angle ∆ θ= r , And the arc ∆ S=r ∆ θ=rω ∆t
Angle Disp .
∴ V =ωr radius (3) Angular Vel=
Time
Linear vel Angular vel
−1 ∆ θrad
ω rad s =
(c) Frequency (f) ts
It is the number of rotations in a given time Disp.
arc
Number of Rotations ∆S
f=
Time taken
( Hz) (4) V= (I )
∆time
∆θ t
V= (II)
∆t
(d) Period (T)
V =ωr
It is the time taken for one complete revolution
1
T = (Sec)
f
(5)
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2π
From Equations (2) and (5) we conclude that ω=
T
Example (1):
An old record player spins records at 45 rpm (revolutions per
minute). For a point on the circumference (radius = 10 cm) calculate
of Rev .
a) The frequency ¿
time(sec)
2π
b) The angular speed in rad s-1. ω=
T
=2 πf
Solution
45
* 45 rpm = 60
=0.75 Revolutions per second
f 0.75 Hz
2π −1
* ω= T =2 πf =2 ×3.14 × 0.75=4.7 rad S
Example (2):
The minute hand on a watch is 6.40 mm long. calculate:
a) Its frequency one rotation = 1 hour
b) Its angular speed r
c) The speed of its free end
Solution
1 1 −4
a) Frequency f = T = 60 ×60 =2.78× 10 Hz ( S−1)
b) Angular speed ω=2 πf =2 × π ×2.78 ×10 =1.75 ×10
−4 −3 −1
rads
c) Speed V =rω=6.40 ×10−3 × 1.75× 10−3=1.12 ×10−5 ms−1
2π V ∆θ
Angular velocity ω= =2 πf = =
T r t
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According to Newton's First law
"Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a
straight line, unless compelled to change that state by a net force."
In the opposite figure (1) The car is said to
be moving with uniform motion if the
resultant force (due to the applied force
and the frictional force) equals zero
Circular Motion
When an object moves in a circle at a constant speed its velocity
(which is a vector) is changing not due to the change in the magnitude
of the velocity but because their direction changes. A change in
velocity means that the object is accelerating. This acceleration is
2
towards the centre of the circle. V
a c=
r
It is called the centripetal acceleration
for this acceleration there must be a
`
resultant force. It is called the centripetal Fc
2
mV
force Note that F c=
r
(1) The centripetal force acts towards the centre of the circle at right
angle to the instantaneous velocity of the moving particle.
(2) Without the centripetal force, an object cannot travel in circular
motion. In fact, if the forces are balanced, then an object continues in
motion in a straight line at constant speed.
F motion F
→ → ←
Acc n Dec n Circular motion
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V
2
Linear vel.
a c=
r
Radius
Derivation of expression for centripetal acceleration
The opposite figure shows an object has travelled at
constant Speed (V) in a circular path from A to Δt
B in time where the velocity at A is V A and the
velocity at B is VB. Both VA and VB are Vectors.
∴ ∆ V =V A +V B
In ∆ AOB consider the angle ∆θ to be small that the arc AB may be
approximated to a straight line. Then using the similar triangles OAB
and CDE,
DE AB ∆V ∆S
∴ = =
CD OA ∆t r
VA
∴ ∆ V =∆ S
r
Dividing both sides by ΔT
∆V ∆S V A
= × (1)
∆T ∆T r
∆V ∆S
As a=
∆T
∧V =V A =V B=
∆T
Then equation(1)changes to
2
V
a=
r
This expression can be written in terms of angular speed ω, since V = rω
2
V
∴Centripetal acceleration = =rω
2
r r
θ S
And F = ma
r
2
mV
∴Centripetal force = 2
=mω r S
r θ=
r
Ang .disp ∆ θ=θ2−θ 1
7 Ang . vel= PHYSICS
∆θ 2π
= =2 πf
t T
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N.B
Force & Motion
Same Direction Opposite Direction Perpendicular
Force Motion
Acceleratio Deceleration
n
S = linear displacement = arc
Ɵ = angular displacement
V = linear velocity
ω = angular velocity
ω = ∆ Ɵ/t
V = s/t (time)
V= 2πr/t (period and ω = 2π/t = 2πf
V=ωr
a c=v2/r
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Example of Circular Motion
(1) The satellite in the earth orbit
A satellite in the earth orbit
experiences gravitational attraction
towards the centre of the earth. This
attractive force provides the
centripetal force and causes the
satellite to accelerate towards the
centre of the earth, and so it moves in
a circle.
In a similar way, the moon is kept in orbit by the gravitational pull of
the earth.
(2) A car on a banked track
The car in the opposite figure, the road
provides two forces
1. the normal contact force (N)has a
vertical component of N balances the car’s
weight. Therefore:
Vertically Ncos θ = mg
2. The force of friction (F) between the
tires and the road surface
The horizontal component of normal
reaction and force of friction both have
component that is needed to make the car
go round the curve
2
mv
Horizontally N sinθ+ F cosθ=
r
Where r is the radius of the circular corner
V is the car’s speed.
* Explain:
Many roads are banked for greater road safety
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(3) Moving in vertical circles.
In this case you must have resultant force acting towards the centre of
the circle
Consider a person moving round a vertical circle at speeded V, two
main forces acting on the rider
1. The weight (W) which is unchangeable.
2. The reaction (R) that the seat exerts on the rider, it varies in size as
the car goes round the circle.
* At the bottom of the ride
The reaction force from the seat must
provide a centripetal force to overcome,
so the contact force must be bigger than
the weight.
2
mv
R B−W =
r
* At the top of the ride
Both the weight and the reaction force act downwards towards the
centre of the circle, together they provide a centripetal force.
2
mv
RT + W =
r
* At the side
The reaction force alone provides a centripetal force; the weight has
no component toward the centre of the circle.
2
mv
R s=
r
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That is why you feel yourself being pushed into the seat more at the
bottom because the seats pushes up on you with a large force.
Remarks
(1) If a body of mass m is attached to a chord or an elastic string of
length L, then the force exerted on this mass is given by
F=-kx
To return to its original length
This is called Hook’s law
K is the stping’s constant "stiffness"
X is the position of the mass relative to the equilibrium position
1. Now, if the body is rotated about a point in a circular path of radius r
∴ F c + F s=F g
∴ F c + F s=mg
2
∴ mw r −kx =mg
(Pendulum in vertical circular motion):
(2) In case of a body placed on a rotating plate, to find the
maximum number of rotations to remain the body on the
plate
The fractional force = the centripetal force
(3) The factors affecting the free fall acceleration of a planet
(a) The free fall acceleration of the planet
(b) The density of the planet
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(4) On solving problems, Masses of the planets, moons, stars are
considered to be constant.
N.B
If you encounter a question like this: [June 20 V1, Q 1(b)]
A binary star system consists of two stars S1 and S2, each in a circular
orbit. The orbit of each star in the system has a period of rotation T.
Observations of the binary star from Earth are represented in Fig. 1.1.
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-Observed from Earth, the angular separation of the centres of S1 and
S2 is 1.2 ×10−5 rad. The distance of the binary star system from Earth is
17
1.5 ×10 m
Show that the separation d of the centres of S1 and S2 is 1. 8 ×1012 m
You could answer with:
Arc length = rθ r
17 −5 12
d=1.5× 10 × 1.2× 10 =1.8 ×10 m S
θ
r
S
θ=
r
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